The 2026 World Aquatics Women's U16 Water Polo Championships was the third edition of the women's U16 Water Polo World Championship. The tournament was played in Zagreb, Croatia, from 25 to 31 July 2026.
24 teams participated in the tournament. Greece secured their first ever title with a victory over Spain in the final,
Hosts selection Zagreb in Croatia was given the hosting rights on 7 January 2026.
Participating teams
Africa
Americas
Asia
Europe (hosts)
Oceania
Format The tournament consisted of two phases: Group stage All 24 participating teams played in one common group. Each team played four matches. All teams advanced to the knockout stage. Knockout stage Based on their group placement, each team was placed in one of three playoff sections: 1st–8th place, 9th–16th place and 17th–24th place; all of which were played as a series of playoffs, consolation playoffs and final classification matches.
Group stage Positions in the table are determined by the Tournament Performance Index (TPI) rather than total points. The TPI is calculated as the arithmetic average of match performance scores, factoring in the match outcome, goal difference, and the opponent's strength (Elo rating).
17th–24th place playoffs
9th–16th place playoffs
Championship playoffs
Final standings
Rank Team 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Rank Team 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
References